Comments for Sailing, Simplicity, and the Pursuit of Happiness http://sailingsimplicity.com Thu, 17 May 2012 03:34:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on Deciding To Cruise by Lin Pardey by Melissa http://sailingsimplicity.com/deciding-to-cruise-by-lin-pardey/#comment-26240 Melissa Thu, 17 May 2012 03:34:34 +0000 http://sailingsimplicity.com/?p=1455#comment-26240 We're working on it! Yes, I'm finally realizing that it will take a couple of years, at least, of planning and cutting ties before we can do it. That is hard to swallow when I want to go now! Keep inspiring us, Lynn! We’re working on it! Yes, I’m finally realizing that it will take a couple of years, at least, of planning and cutting ties before we can do it. That is hard to swallow when I want to go now! Keep inspiring us, Lynn!

]]> Comment on Deciding To Cruise by Lin Pardey by Simon http://sailingsimplicity.com/deciding-to-cruise-by-lin-pardey/#comment-26238 Simon Thu, 17 May 2012 00:26:57 +0000 http://sailingsimplicity.com/?p=1455#comment-26238 Thanks Lin. I have read all your books and enjoyed them immensely. You two are a huge inspiration. Simon Thanks Lin. I have read all your books and enjoyed them immensely. You two are a huge inspiration.

Simon

]]> Comment on Deciding To Cruise by Lin Pardey by Paul Codd http://sailingsimplicity.com/deciding-to-cruise-by-lin-pardey/#comment-26234 Paul Codd Wed, 16 May 2012 17:07:46 +0000 http://sailingsimplicity.com/?p=1455#comment-26234 Great article. Great article.

]]> Comment on Deciding To Cruise by Lin Pardey by Mid-Life Cruising! http://sailingsimplicity.com/deciding-to-cruise-by-lin-pardey/#comment-26232 Mid-Life Cruising! Wed, 16 May 2012 16:46:41 +0000 http://sailingsimplicity.com/?p=1455#comment-26232 Love this, especially #4 ... so true! We're working on "cutting the ties", but never the relationships! We're also looking forward to grandchildren someday ... and taking them sailing! Love this, especially #4 … so true! We’re working on “cutting the ties”, but never the relationships! We’re also looking forward to grandchildren someday … and taking them sailing!

]]> Comment on Money! Money! Money! Mon-ay! by Jeff http://sailingsimplicity.com/money-money-money-mon-ay/#comment-26211 Jeff Tue, 15 May 2012 19:21:16 +0000 http://sailingsimplicity.com/?p=1024#comment-26211 I think the following quote is relevant. I saw it somewhere else on the web, and saved it, & it's one of the saddest things I've ever read. It's from a man who realizes he's wasted his life - few things are sadder. It was a response to somebody who was wrestling with the notion of trading his prescribed consumer lifestyle for one of living aboard a sailboat. Read it & take it to heart: 30 years ago, I wish I had read and understood the following Mark Twain quote: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” I've spent the intervening years banging on a calculator trying to figure out the exact "right" moment to stop work. I got pretty close and then a bunch of %$#ing bankers simply gambled away half of what I, and a lot of other people, had saved. That pretty much defines my wasted years. So the short answer is... screw the house, buy the boat and live... I wish I had. I think the following quote is relevant. I saw it somewhere else on the web, and saved it, & it’s one of the saddest things I’ve ever read. It’s from a man who realizes he’s wasted his life – few things are sadder. It was a response to somebody who was wrestling with the notion of trading his prescribed consumer lifestyle for one of living aboard a sailboat. Read it & take it to heart:

30 years ago, I wish I had read and understood the following Mark Twain quote:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

I’ve spent the intervening years banging on a calculator trying to figure out the exact “right” moment to stop work. I got pretty close and then a bunch of %$#ing bankers simply gambled away half of what I, and a lot of other people, had saved.

That pretty much defines my wasted years.

So the short answer is… screw the house, buy the boat and live… I wish I had.

]]> Comment on Is Simplicity Political? by Jeff http://sailingsimplicity.com/is-simplicity-political/#comment-26209 Jeff Tue, 15 May 2012 18:52:57 +0000 http://sailingsimplicity.com/?p=1251#comment-26209 The system is not designed for simple living because there is no money in it for those who run things. Governments of all nations are not at the top of the power pyramid. When things don't seem to make sense, remember the phrase "follow the money." You will almost always find your understanding of a situation will become clearer when you ask who stands to make money off of whatever is happening. Power and money are more or less the same thing and our best hope is that the recent, and ongoing, collapse of the current system will require people to live more simply while depriving those in power the funds to force the people back into line. I know this sounds simplistic & pessimistic, but if you will learn to trade "who makes money off of this" for "why would they do that" you will, like it or not, realize that so many things that you couldn't make sense of before fall right into focus. The beauty of living simply, especially living aboard, is that you can often maintain your freedom by staying below the radar. The system is not designed for simple living because there is no money in it for those who run things. Governments of all nations are not at the top of the power pyramid. When things don’t seem to make sense, remember the phrase “follow the money.” You will almost always find your understanding of a situation will become clearer when you ask who stands to make money off of whatever is happening. Power and money are more or less the same thing and our best hope is that the recent, and ongoing, collapse of the current system will require people to live more simply while depriving those in power the funds to force the people back into line.

I know this sounds simplistic & pessimistic, but if you will learn to trade “who makes money off of this” for “why would they do that” you will, like it or not, realize that so many things that you couldn’t make sense of before fall right into focus. The beauty of living simply, especially living aboard, is that you can often maintain your freedom by staying below the radar.

]]> Comment on Is Simplicity Political? by Jeff http://sailingsimplicity.com/is-simplicity-political/#comment-26208 Jeff Tue, 15 May 2012 18:50:51 +0000 http://sailingsimplicity.com/?p=1251#comment-26208 The system is not designed for simple living because there is no money in it for those who run things. Governments of all nations are not at the top of the power pyramid. When things don't seem to make sense, remember the phrase "follow the money." You will almost always find your understanding of a situation will become clearer when you ask who stands to make money off of whatever is happening. Power and money are more or less the same thing and our best hope is that the recent, and ongoing, collapse of the current system will require people to live more simply while depriving the funds to force the people back into line. I know this sounds simplistic & pessimistic, but if you will learn to trade "who makes money off of this" for "why would they do that" you will, like it or not, realize that so many things that you couldn't make sense of before fall right into focus. The beauty of living simply, especially living aboard, is that you can often maintain your freedom by staying below the radar. The system is not designed for simple living because there is no money in it for those who run things. Governments of all nations are not at the top of the power pyramid. When things don’t seem to make sense, remember the phrase “follow the money.” You will almost always find your understanding of a situation will become clearer when you ask who stands to make money off of whatever is happening. Power and money are more or less the same thing and our best hope is that the recent, and ongoing, collapse of the current system will require people to live more simply while depriving the funds to force the people back into line.

I know this sounds simplistic & pessimistic, but if you will learn to trade “who makes money off of this” for “why would they do that” you will, like it or not, realize that so many things that you couldn’t make sense of before fall right into focus. The beauty of living simply, especially living aboard, is that you can often maintain your freedom by staying below the radar.

]]> Comment on Interview with Teresa & Ben on WUSB by Teresa http://sailingsimplicity.com/radio-broadcast/#comment-26146 Teresa Thu, 10 May 2012 14:41:52 +0000 http://sailingsimplicity.com/?p=1286#comment-26146 Roberta, I didn't have refrigeration or an ice box for almost a year. It was installed but I didn't run it because I didn't have power. Then I got a solar panel and that was sufficient to keep the refrigerator going most of the time. When I didn't have refrigeration, I was very selective of what I purchased and aware of how long it would last. Green tomatoes last long, onions and root veggies last long. Leafy greens do not. However, they last better in shaded areas with a breeze. So I would keep them low in the boat and in an open crate. And I would eat them first. Cabbage is great and last a long time! Still crunchy even if the edges are brown. Green apples last longer than red. Apples will las longer if you separate them with paper. Eggs don't require refrigeration and will last a very long time if you remember to flip the carton over every few days. Cheese also last a long time if you buy a large block instead of slices. Its the exposed edges that go moldy first and often its where you touched it with your fingers, so keep it wrapped in plastic. I good resources for making fresh stuff last is Lin Pardey's "The Care and Feeding Sailing Crew." I wish I had looked it over before I started. I didn't take a look at it until longer after I had refrigeration, but I learned things through trial and error and from my extended camping experience. I hope this helps! Teresa Roberta,
I didn’t have refrigeration or an ice box for almost a year. It was installed but I didn’t run it because I didn’t have power. Then I got a solar panel and that was sufficient to keep the refrigerator going most of the time.

When I didn’t have refrigeration, I was very selective of what I purchased and aware of how long it would last. Green tomatoes last long, onions and root veggies last long. Leafy greens do not. However, they last better in shaded areas with a breeze. So I would keep them low in the boat and in an open crate. And I would eat them first. Cabbage is great and last a long time! Still crunchy even if the edges are brown. Green apples last longer than red. Apples will las longer if you separate them with paper. Eggs don’t require refrigeration and will last a very long time if you remember to flip the carton over every few days. Cheese also last a long time if you buy a large block instead of slices. Its the exposed edges that go moldy first and often its where you touched it with your fingers, so keep it wrapped in plastic.

I good resources for making fresh stuff last is Lin Pardey’s “The Care and Feeding Sailing Crew.” I wish I had looked it over before I started. I didn’t take a look at it until longer after I had refrigeration, but I learned things through trial and error and from my extended camping experience.

I hope this helps!

Teresa

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